The 61-year-old, who shot late Beatle Lennon outside his New York home in December 1980, had again applied for parole, but was denied for the ninth time.

Chapman told the parole board that he now accepted his crime was “premeditated, selfish and evil”.

However, the parole board told Chapman that despite “personal efforts to study and educate yourself”, his release would be “incompatible with the welfare of society” and would “undermine respect for the law”.

Chapman was originally sentenced to 20 years to life in 1981 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.